VI.
THE CUSTOM HOUSE.
Aleph found Cimon already at the khan; and, after giving an account of his own experiences, received the following from his friend.
Cimon went first to the khan they had just left for an article that had been forgotten, and to learn what he might of the ways of the neighboring custom house.
He found that he was yet considerably too early for the business hours of the chief official; and so lingered, making inquiries of the inn-keeper about the chief traders of the city, especially in the line of eastern goods. Who are they? Where are their places of business? How long have they been established? What reputations do they bear? These questions were freely answered—with some vagueness and reserve, however, as to the last of them; as was to be expected from a man who speaks about his neighbors to a stranger. Cimon found that Malus was by far the largest and most successful dealer in the city.
“How did that happen?”
“Well, you see, he has the most capital: so he has the best goods, the cheapest, and the greatest variety; and then his positions as harbor-master and farmer-general of all imports from the south give him special advantages for turning trade in his own direction. As harbor-master he is the first one to meet the owners of goods on their arrival, and can hasten or delay the passing through the custom house: as farmer of the duties he has less duty to pay than his rivals, even if he makes none of the illegal exactions with which some charge him. However this may be, it is certain that he has very great opportunities of befriending those who deal with him, and can make it for their interest to patronize him rather than others. People lay much stress on this. So he has crushed out many small dealers. Still, not a few manage to maintain themselves against him, though they make small profits where he makes large ones. There are yet many people who for various reasons prefer to go elsewhere than to Nos. 110, 111, 112 Emporium Street. We are among them”—and the man shrugged his shoulders.
Cimon took out his tablets and made some entries.
While he was doing this, who should come in but the Jew who had so curiously followed him from the synagogue! The man was surprised, and apparently delighted, to see Cimon. It appeared that he was a brother of the absent landlord, and had come to bring news of him to his family. He had left him in Judea a few days before, and expected that he would soon be able to return. He then turned to Cimon and inquired about his young companion of yesterday.
“That young man haunts me,” he said. “His face meets me everywhere; if I read, his features come between me and the papyrus; if some one enters my house I look up to see if it is not he; if I am walking in the street I forget my errand and look for him instead. For example, while on my way here I forgot what I was coming for, and found myself opposite the Diapleuston waiting for him to appear, and, had he appeared, no doubt I should have acted as ridiculously as I did yesterday.”
Cimon explained that they had seen occasion to remove to another part of the city; but were still proposing to seek him out and hear about the eastern pilgrims of whom he had spoken. Perhaps he would not object to give some particulars now—reserving to some future time, when his young friend could be with him, a fuller account. Could they not pass into the court and seat themselves where they would not be exposed to interruption?